Part of the content is temporarily available only in Greek
At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe is living in peace and prosperity. The “Belle Époque” is an outgrowth of previous important historical events and developments. The networks that are created and which evolve funnel both people and their products, tangible and intangible. It is within this multi-layered world that sound recording and sound reproduction is invented. Early record labels send mobile crews literally all over the world to record local musicians. The range of the repertoire is endless. Cosmopolitanism in large urban centers favors polystylisms and polymorphisms. Colonialism, revolutions, conflicts, refugee flows; the theater, cinema, radio, photography, orchestras’ tours, but also circulations in all kinds of commercial channels in a world that evolves dynamically and anisotropically, form a complex network of “centers” and “peripheries” in alternating roles setting musical idioms in motion, both literally and figuratively. The networks in which the Greek-speaking musics participate, constantly conversing with their co-tenants, are magnificent. Discography has already provided important tools in understanding the relationships that developed between “national” repertoires. The result of this ongoing research is “Cosmopolitanism in Greek Historical Discography”.
Austria’s geographical position naturally renders the country the center of European developments, but also an important sort of conduit for the diffusion of tangible and intangible products from all and towards all directions. However, it is not a popular part of the relevant historiographical research as far as the relations between the Greek-speaking and the rest of the world. Not to mention that that within the musicological field, research is almost completely absent. However, geography often speaks for itself: The Habsburg Empire (Austro-Hungarian Empire after the Compromise of 1867) bordered the Ottoman Empire to the south. Both claimed territories of the later Yugoslavia, and especially those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, on the one hand, accommodated a notable Muslim population, and, on the other hand, communicated directly with the historical region of Macedonia and the Greek-speaking population that lived there. Vienna was a unique melting pot of cultures; the arts, dominated by music, were experiencing an unprecedented boom. A particular theatrical genre, which developed in various forms throughout Europe, was at the heart of Viennese creation: it was the Volkstheater (the folk theater), which was part of a long tradition of comical performing arts, with music playing a dominant role. According to the relevant discourse, after 1850 this style is transformed in the Viennese operetta, which had an unprecedented dynamic in terms of production of new works. Soon, discography would enter this network, and together with the already vibrant reality of the music publishing houses, would contribute to the mass diffusion of the Viennese operetta both in Europe and America. The leading element of these works was, among other things, the waltz, a trademark of the Austrian capital, as well as its main exported cultural product all over the world. The role played by the Strauss family was a catalyst in this development. These trends reached and were adopted and adapted by the Greek-speaking world, which incorporated them into its own conditions. In any case, the circulation of musics is already a reality before the 20th century with theatrical and musical performances tours , but also with the networks of music publishing houses. Discography is not only embedded in this context, but also plays a key role in its transformation. It should also be noted that, in various cases, often due to the great international success of the songs, the resulting network is extremely complex and does not only concern Greek-Austrian relations.
The song "Kavalaris" comes from the second act of the three-act operetta "“Die lustige Witwe”, set to music by Franz Lehár and libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based on Henri Meilhac's comedy "L'Ataché d'Ambassade (1861). It is Nr. 8 Duett (incipit “Heia, Mädel, aufgeschaut”), also known as "Lied Vom Dummen Reiter" (The Silly Cavalier), adapted with Greek lyrics. In the operetta, it is performed by the wealthy widow Hanna Glawari and Count Danilo Danilovitsch (for more about operetta, plot and libretto see here, here, here and here).
The play premiered at the Theater an der Wien, in Vienna, on 39 December 1905, and ran for 533 performances. It was the composer's most successful and the most popular operetta of all time. It was adapted in various languages and staged innumerable times, under various titles, on the theatrical stages of cities in Europe, Asia, America and Australia. For example:
– On March 3, 1906 at Hamburg’s Neues Operetten-Theate and on May 1 of the same year at Berliner Theater.
– On September 19, 1906, under the title "веселая вдова", at St. Petersburg's Пассаже Theatre.
– On November 27, 1906, under the title "Víg Özvegy", at Budapest’s Király Színház.
– On February 20, 1907, under the title "Vesla Udovica", at Zagreb's Hrvatsko Narodno Kazalište (Croatian National Theater).
– On April 27, 1907, under the title "La Vedova Allegra", at Milan's Teatro Dal Verme.
– On June 8, 1907, under the title "The Merry Widow" at London's Daly's Theater.
– On October 21, 1907, under the title "The Merry Widow", at New York's New Amsterdam Theater (see here).
– On May 16, 1908, under the title "The Merry Widow", at Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theater.
– On June 13, 1908, under the title "La Viuda Alegre", at Barcelona's Teatro Granvía and on February 8, 1909 at Madrid's Teatro Price.
– On April 28, 1909, under the title "La Veuve Joyeuse", at Paris' Théâtre Apollo.
The score (see here), the libretto (see here) and the spartito (see here) were released by Doblinger in Vienna in 1906.
The operetta success is also reflected in its film adaptations:
– “A víg özvegy”, Hungarian production, 1919.
– “The Merry Widow”, American production, 1925.
– “The Merry Widow”, American production, 1934.
– “The Merry Widow”, American production, 1952.
– “Die lustige Witwe”, Austrian-French production, 1962.
The duet was recorded in various languages and regions of the world, either in song form (in some cases by only one performer) or in orchestral form. For example:
– “Die lustige Witwe: Das Lied vom dummen Reiter”, with the original performers Mizzi Günther (soprano) Louis Treumann (tenor), Vienna, 1906 (Gramophone 4171l – 2-44074).
– “Пѣснь о глупомъ всадникѣ”, Н. А. Аркадьевъ [Nikolay Bolshakov], Saint Petersburg, 1906 (Zonophone 4913l – X-2-62124 and Gramophone 3-22533).
– “Dummer, dummer Reiter”, Philla Siegmann-Wolff, Berlin, August 1906 (Odeon Vx 1821 – 52006).
– “La Viuda Alegre - Duo del Caballero”, Sofia Palacios – Ernesto Hervás, Madrid, 1907 (Odeon xS 1145 – 68270).
– “Dummer, dummer Reitersmann”, Gisela Noris – Carl Streitmann, Vienna, May 17, 1907 (Favorite 2818-o – 1-29107).
– “The silly cavalier”, Elise Stevenson – Frank C. Stanley, Camden, New Jersey, November 11, 1908 (Victor B-5066 – 5839 και 16146).
– “Ludi konjanik iz operete „Vesela udovica“”, Irma Pollak, Croatia, probably in the late 1910s (Odeon xAg 82 – 35650).
In Greece, the operetta, entitled "I efthimi hira", was staged in 1909 by four troupes. It was first presented by Evangelos Pantopoulos' troupe and then by the troupes of Leonidas Arniotis, Antonis Nikas and Giannis Papaioannou.
Musical scores (see for example here and here) and libretto (see here), adapted into Greek by Vasilis Vekiarellis, were released in the first decade of the 20th century by the Fexis publishing house.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Europe is living in peace and prosperity. The “Belle Époque” is an outgrowth of previous important historical events and developments. The networks that are created and which evolve funnel both people and their products, tangible and intangible. It is within this multi-layered world that sound recording and sound reproduction is invented. Early record labels send mobile crews literally all over the world to record local musicians. The range of the repertoire is endless. Cosmopolitanism in large urban centers favors polystylisms and polymorphisms. Colonialism, revolutions, conflicts, refugee flows; the theater, cinema, radio, photography, orchestras’ tours, but also circulations in all kinds of commercial channels in a world that evolves dynamically and anisotropically, form a complex network of “centers” and “peripheries” in alternating roles setting musical idioms in motion, both literally and figuratively. The networks in which the Greek-speaking musics participate, constantly conversing with their co-tenants, are magnificent. Discography has already provided important tools in understanding the relationships that developed between “national” repertoires. The result of this ongoing research is “Cosmopolitanism in Greek Historical Discography”.
Austria’s geographical position naturally renders the country the center of European developments, but also an important sort of conduit for the diffusion of tangible and intangible products from all and towards all directions. However, it is not a popular part of the relevant historiographical research as far as the relations between the Greek-speaking and the rest of the world. Not to mention that that within the musicological field, research is almost completely absent. However, geography often speaks for itself: The Habsburg Empire (Austro-Hungarian Empire after the Compromise of 1867) bordered the Ottoman Empire to the south. Both claimed territories of the later Yugoslavia, and especially those of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, on the one hand, accommodated a notable Muslim population, and, on the other hand, communicated directly with the historical region of Macedonia and the Greek-speaking population that lived there. Vienna was a unique melting pot of cultures; the arts, dominated by music, were experiencing an unprecedented boom. A particular theatrical genre, which developed in various forms throughout Europe, was at the heart of Viennese creation: it was the Volkstheater (the folk theater), which was part of a long tradition of comical performing arts, with music playing a dominant role. According to the relevant discourse, after 1850 this style is transformed in the Viennese operetta, which had an unprecedented dynamic in terms of production of new works. Soon, discography would enter this network, and together with the already vibrant reality of the music publishing houses, would contribute to the mass diffusion of the Viennese operetta both in Europe and America. The leading element of these works was, among other things, the waltz, a trademark of the Austrian capital, as well as its main exported cultural product all over the world. The role played by the Strauss family was a catalyst in this development. These trends reached and were adopted and adapted by the Greek-speaking world, which incorporated them into its own conditions. In any case, the circulation of musics is already a reality before the 20th century with theatrical and musical performances tours , but also with the networks of music publishing houses. Discography is not only embedded in this context, but also plays a key role in its transformation. It should also be noted that, in various cases, often due to the great international success of the songs, the resulting network is extremely complex and does not only concern Greek-Austrian relations.
The song "Kavalaris" comes from the second act of the three-act operetta "“Die lustige Witwe”, set to music by Franz Lehár and libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based on Henri Meilhac's comedy "L'Ataché d'Ambassade (1861). It is Nr. 8 Duett (incipit “Heia, Mädel, aufgeschaut”), also known as "Lied Vom Dummen Reiter" (The Silly Cavalier), adapted with Greek lyrics. In the operetta, it is performed by the wealthy widow Hanna Glawari and Count Danilo Danilovitsch (for more about operetta, plot and libretto see here, here, here and here).
The play premiered at the Theater an der Wien, in Vienna, on 39 December 1905, and ran for 533 performances. It was the composer's most successful and the most popular operetta of all time. It was adapted in various languages and staged innumerable times, under various titles, on the theatrical stages of cities in Europe, Asia, America and Australia. For example:
– On March 3, 1906 at Hamburg’s Neues Operetten-Theate and on May 1 of the same year at Berliner Theater.
– On September 19, 1906, under the title "веселая вдова", at St. Petersburg's Пассаже Theatre.
– On November 27, 1906, under the title "Víg Özvegy", at Budapest’s Király Színház.
– On February 20, 1907, under the title "Vesla Udovica", at Zagreb's Hrvatsko Narodno Kazalište (Croatian National Theater).
– On April 27, 1907, under the title "La Vedova Allegra", at Milan's Teatro Dal Verme.
– On June 8, 1907, under the title "The Merry Widow" at London's Daly's Theater.
– On October 21, 1907, under the title "The Merry Widow", at New York's New Amsterdam Theater (see here).
– On May 16, 1908, under the title "The Merry Widow", at Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theater.
– On June 13, 1908, under the title "La Viuda Alegre", at Barcelona's Teatro Granvía and on February 8, 1909 at Madrid's Teatro Price.
– On April 28, 1909, under the title "La Veuve Joyeuse", at Paris' Théâtre Apollo.
The score (see here), the libretto (see here) and the spartito (see here) were released by Doblinger in Vienna in 1906.
The operetta success is also reflected in its film adaptations:
– “A víg özvegy”, Hungarian production, 1919.
– “The Merry Widow”, American production, 1925.
– “The Merry Widow”, American production, 1934.
– “The Merry Widow”, American production, 1952.
– “Die lustige Witwe”, Austrian-French production, 1962.
The duet was recorded in various languages and regions of the world, either in song form (in some cases by only one performer) or in orchestral form. For example:
– “Die lustige Witwe: Das Lied vom dummen Reiter”, with the original performers Mizzi Günther (soprano) Louis Treumann (tenor), Vienna, 1906 (Gramophone 4171l – 2-44074).
– “Пѣснь о глупомъ всадникѣ”, Н. А. Аркадьевъ [Nikolay Bolshakov], Saint Petersburg, 1906 (Zonophone 4913l – X-2-62124 and Gramophone 3-22533).
– “Dummer, dummer Reiter”, Philla Siegmann-Wolff, Berlin, August 1906 (Odeon Vx 1821 – 52006).
– “La Viuda Alegre - Duo del Caballero”, Sofia Palacios – Ernesto Hervás, Madrid, 1907 (Odeon xS 1145 – 68270).
– “Dummer, dummer Reitersmann”, Gisela Noris – Carl Streitmann, Vienna, May 17, 1907 (Favorite 2818-o – 1-29107).
– “The silly cavalier”, Elise Stevenson – Frank C. Stanley, Camden, New Jersey, November 11, 1908 (Victor B-5066 – 5839 και 16146).
– “Ludi konjanik iz operete „Vesela udovica“”, Irma Pollak, Croatia, probably in the late 1910s (Odeon xAg 82 – 35650).
In Greece, the operetta, entitled "I efthimi hira", was staged in 1909 by four troupes. It was first presented by Evangelos Pantopoulos' troupe and then by the troupes of Leonidas Arniotis, Antonis Nikas and Giannis Papaioannou.
Musical scores (see for example here and here) and libretto (see here), adapted into Greek by Vasilis Vekiarellis, were released in the first decade of the 20th century by the Fexis publishing house.
© 2019 KOUNADIS ARCHIVE
